Please call NJ Senate President Scutari today and ask him to post A3929/S2899 to the next voting session agenda on Wednesday, June 29th. If we get the bill posted and passed, our bill will be out of the legislature! We also need you to please ask your State Senator to cosponsor the bill and vote “yes.”

Tell them your personal story and why you deserve to vote. If you can, explain how state-level programs, laws, or regulations have a direct impact on you or your family and friends living overseas. Tell them you need help. The word “help” will make aides know this goes far beyond a bill opinion and they will take the call more seriously (see our guide script below).  

We’ve come so far to restore our voting rights.  A3929/S2899, which reinstates voting rights in NJ State elections for those who mark their Federal Post Card Application (FPCA-overseas ballot request) “return uncertain,” has passed the Assembly State Government Committee, the full Assembly, the Senate State Government Committee, and we hope it will be posted for a vote on June 29th in the full Senate.

Governor Murphy has expressed his support for this worthy voting rights bill. Our prime sponsor, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, who testified at the committee hearing, has been a tireless advocate for our voting rights. Speaker Coughlin has also demonstrated that he is with us. Now, Senator Shirley Turner has taken up the bill for us in the Senate - but the Senate needs to hear from us.    

PLEASE CALL NJ SENATE PRESIDENT SCUTARI (see guide script below)

OFFICE PHONE: (732) 827-7480 (phone calls are best)
EMAIL: [email protected]  (emails can help)

PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR-phone calls are best (see guide script below)

To look up who your State Senator is and your Senator’s phone number please select  You can filter by your municipality in the upper right drop-down box.

EMAILS can help: use the following email format Sen(last name of the Senator)@njleg.org. For example, [email protected].  

Talking Points/Guide for Senate President Scutari:

• Hi, my name is --------. I am a NJ voter and I need your help.
  
  
• (If asked for an address) Would you like my NJ voting address?    
  
  
• I regularly vote by absentee ballot in the elections I am allowed to vote in.   
   

• I'm calling because overseas voters have lost their voting rights, and I would like to speak to your Chief of Staff or whoever handles voting law in your office because I need help.

• The reason why I want to speak to your Chief of Staff so we can really go over the issue and President Scutari can know what NJ voters are going through and why we need his help.  

Once you get a Legislative Aide or Chief of Staff on the phone and greet them, repeat why you are calling and then go over some of these critical points:

• Overseas voters fill out a different ballot request than other NJ voters. On the Overseas ballot request, which is called the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA), there is a question that asks if your return is uncertain. Many overseas voters check the “return uncertain” box because they do not know the exact date  they will return to the state. NJ voters have no idea they will lose their right to vote in state elections when they check that box. Life is full of uncertainty; we should not lose our voting rights because of it.
  
  
• New Jersey Overseas voters are NJ citizens and stakeholders in state government no matter when or if they return to New Jersey on many issues such as climate change, education, health insurance, net neutrality, and of course, our voting rights and procedures (add any reasons that you have for voting in the state elections and make it personal)
  
  
•  S2899/A3929, restores our state voting rights. Would the Senate President please post this bill to the floor on June 29th? (Wait for an answer and ask for follow-up.)
  
  
• Will President Scutari be voting yes on the floor? Would he be willing to co-sponsor the bill?
  

WAIT FOR AN ANSWER! Listen carefully and try to get a commitment!

• I would like to add that the majority of states in our country allow us to vote on all levels of government. NJ is one of the small handful of states that denies us the right to vote.
  

• This bill passed the Senate and the Assembly last session and has the Governor’s full support. It’s already passed the Assembly and the Senate State Government Committee this session. Will you please ask Senate President Scutari to post the bill? (If they ask you why it did not pass the last session when both chambers voted yes and you have the Governor’s support say: It had to be posted for a concurrence vote and the Speaker’s office said they did not have time to review the Senate technical amendment on such short notice since it was the last day of the Lame Duck session - but he promised to take up the bill this session, and he helped get the bill passed as promised.
  
  
• I’m a New Jersey citizen. I believe I have the right to vote. I can’t vote where I’m currently residing. We all have a reason to vote. New Jersey is my home. The Senate President has control to rectify this problem and reinstate my right to vote. I hope he posts S2899/A3929 this Wednesday, June 29th. 
  
  
• Thank you so much for your time. Is there any contact I can follow up with you about the bill?

Talking Points/Guide for your Senator:

• Hi, my name is --------.  I am a constituent of your district and I need your help.  I am currently living overseas and regularly vote by absentee ballot in the elections I am allowed to vote in.   
  
  
• (If asked for an address) Would you like my NJ voting address?    
  
  

• I'm calling because overseas voters have lost their voting rights, and I would like to speak to your Chief of Staff or whoever handles voting law in your office because I need help.

• I would like to speak to your Chief of Staff so Senator [legislator's last name] can understand why I need his/her help.  

Once you get an aide or Chief of Staff on the phone and greet them, repeat why you are calling and then go over some of these critical points:

• I’m calling because I’m [am/have been] an overseas voter and fill out a different ballot request than other NJ voters. On the Overseas ballot request, which is called the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA), there is a question that asks if your return is uncertain. Many overseas voters check the “return uncertain” box because they do not know when they will return to the state. But NJ voters have no idea they will lose their right to vote in state elections when they check that box. Life is full of uncertainty; we should not lose our voting rights because of it.
  
  
• New Jersey Overseas voters are stakeholders in state government no matter when or if they return to New Jersey on many issues such as climate change, education, health insurance, net neutrality, and of course, our voting rights and procedures (add any reasons that you have for voting in the state elections and make it personal).
  

• There is a bill that would rectify this problem it is S2899/A3929

• Would the Senator please co-sponsor this important legislation? (Wait for an answer and ask for follow-up.)
  
  
• Will the Senator vote yes if this is posted in the coming week?

 

WAIT FOR AN ANSWER! Listen carefully and try to get a commitment!

• I would like to add that the majority of states in our country allow us to vote on all levels of government. NJ is one of the small handful of states that denies us the right to vote.
  

• This bill passed the Senate and the Assembly last session and has the Governor’s full support. It’s already passed the Assembly this session and the Senate State Government Committee. Will you please ask the Senator to vote yes? (If they ask you why it did not pass the last session when both chambers voted yes and you have the Governor’s support say: It had to be posted for a concurrence vote and the Speaker’s office said they did not have time to review the Senate technical amendment on such short notice since it was the last day of Lame Duck last session - but he promised to take up the bill this session, and he helped get the bill passed as promised.
  
  
• I’m a New Jersey citizen. I believe I have the right to vote. I can’t vote where I’m currently residing. We all have a reason to vote. New Jersey is my home. The Senator has control to rectify this problem and reinstate my right to vote. I hope he/she votes yes on S2899/A3929. 
  
  
• Thank you so much for your time. Is there any contact I can follow up with you about the bill?

Thank you so much for calling!

If you have any questions or make any contacts, please email us at: [email protected]

We can help communicate important facts about the bill.

Please help fund this effort and New Jersey GOTV efforts after we pass the bill by donating here! This has been a long term effort, and your funding on this has a proven track record of making real legislative progress happen!